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Situational Dynamics

NSFW

One of the things I've played with a little bit for the Black/White project has been using two people at the same time. I've got a lot more to do in figuring out the best way to approach it. A few months ago I wrote up a quick set of notes regarding the first few frames from a quick test with Erika and Lily. I was a more than a little surprised at how quickly various body language queues settled in. You can see it with Erika in frame number two in the post I referenced.

I expected far more of the above given the combination of the usual dynamic between those two as well as the fact this was the very first time they've ever made pictures together. Instead I only have two or three frames remotely like this at the very beginning. Everything beyond that was far more like the picture below.

Upon reflection something I've mentioned a few times probably had a lot to do with the instant dynamic. Specifically what came before I made the first frame with these two. Erika showed up far earlier than I expected and Lily was probably still asleep upstairs so we made a few pictures prior to Lily arriving.

Totally forgot about these as we were just messing around with a few wardrobe items to see how they looked etc.

Come to think of it none of us ever discussed roles, wardrobe, who was going to do what when Lily finally came downstairs.

Everything that came next just happened as you can see from the leftover wardrobe of Erika's. When I mentioned I wanted to make a few pictures with these two a week or two prior to this the original intent was to switch things up between both. That never happened. Instead every setup and variations we did just fell into this pattern.

Above a grab-shot getting ready for the next variation. Not even a discussion beyond let's try something other than that white nighty. Below the very next frame.

We did another switch up with the only discussion being something about finding some wardrobe that sort of matched since ultimately that's what I plan for the Black/White project. One of the first frames from the next variation.

Every change up and variation we did, every introduction of prop fueled that starting dynamic.

This post is to remind myself when experimenting with approach how much influence what comes before may have on what comes after. To make more decisions on occasions that are likely to happen in either using the before or maybe not using the before to flavor what comes next.

The general influence what Erika and I were messing with prior to Lily showing up, the wardrobe she was hanging around in, the attitude that it provoked all carried over. What's more is that attitude caused a reaction in Lily from the start where both fed of each other for the rest of the time we made pictures.

End Notes

All photos made with the Fuji XT-1 and 18-55mm XF. Processing via Lightroom CC and VSCO FILM06 TRIX+1 applied on import.